Lily (metal and tropical)
The Lily (リリー) are Japanese plate folders made by Rokuoh-sha, the manufacturing branch of Konishiroku (predecessor of Konica). This page is about the models made after the introduction of a metal body in 1930, including the Tropical Lily despite its wooden construction. These models exist in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm size. For the original vertical Lily, see Lily (original). For the horizontal models, see Lily (horizontal). Description The metal Lily have typical folding struts hinged in the middle, inspired from the Voigtländer Bergheil models. The U-shaped front standard allows vertical movements, controlled by a small knob at the top of the right-hand branch, and horizontal movements, controlled by two small knobs at the base (except on the interchangeable model). The bellows have true double extension, and there is a small focusing wheel at the end of the folding bed, on the photographer's right, and a distance scale on the left. There is a collapsible brilliant finder offset to the left at the top of the front standard, and a wireframe hinged to the front standard. The most advanced models add a second focusing wheel on the left, and even an Albada finder on the left-hand side of the body (see below). There is a leather handle at the top, and the folding bed release is on the right-hand side of the body. The name Lily is normally inscribed in cursive script in a round escutcheon inside the folding bed. The original ground glass hood has the name Rokuoh-sha embossed in the leather, and the metal plate holders also have ROKUOH-SHA inscribed in relief. The 6.5×9cm and 8×10.5cm models are not easy to distinguish from a distance. Apart from the focal length of the lens, the easiest way to recognize them is the height of the left-hand branch of the U-shaped front standard: it stops just above the wireframe hinge on the smaller model, and comes up a bit higher on the larger one. Evolution Original 1930 model The metal Lily models were released in 1930. Tanaka, p.35 of no.10. The original 1930 model (昭和5年型) does not have the focus lock on the focusing wheel, added on the 1934 model. The eyepiece for the wireframe finder has a rectangular shape and folds on a metal part screwed to the side plate and extending towards the front; it is smaller than that of the 1934 model. The 1930 Lily was reportedly offered with the following lens and shutter combinations: Combinations reported in Tanaka, p.36 of no.10, and in this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. * Tessar f/4.5 lens by Carl Zeiss, rim-set Compur shutter, in 6.5×9cm; Pictured in 6.5×9cm size in , item 1123, in , p.538 and in this page at ksmt. * Tessar f/4.5 lens by Carl Zeiss, dial-set Compur shutter, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm; * Heliar f/4.5 lens by Voigtländer, dial-set Compur shutter, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm; * Trinar f/4.5 lens by Rodenstock, Ibsor shutter, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm; Pictured in 8×10.5cm size in , item 1129, where it is wrongly called "Lily (Showa 8)", and in Tanaka, p.36 of no.10. * Trinar f/6.3 lens by Rodenstock, Ibsor shutter, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm; It is perhaps the combination pictured in 8×10.5cm size in , p.538. * Verito f/4.8 lens by Wollensak, Betax shutter, in 8×10.5cm; * Cooke f/6.8 lens, Compur shutter, in 8×10.5cm. In addition to these, an example is known in 6.5×9cm size with a Schneider Radionar f/4.5 lens and a rim-set Compur shutter, Example pictured in , item 1124. and another has been observed in 8×10.5cm size with the newer Hexar Ser.1 13.5cm f/4.5, again in a rim-set Compur. Example pictured in this page of Ross Alford's website. This indicates that the Hexar was mounted on the regular Lily before the minor changes in the body which occurred in 1933–4 (see below). It is said that twenty examples in 6.5×9cm size were delivered to Nippon Kōgaku, to mount its first camera lens Anytar Anastigmat 12cm f/4.5 with a dial-set Compur shutter. , item 1126; Baird, p.56 of The Japanese Camera. At least two examples are known to exist, pictured in and in Baird, reportedly having lens no.3045 and 3093. Example pictured in Yazawa, p.23 of no.271, reportedly having lens no.3045. Example pictured in , item 1126 and in Baird, p.55 of The Japanese Camera; lens no.3093 is reported in the latter source. Tropical Lily The Tropical Lily (トロピカルリリー) was released in 1931, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm size. Release date: Tanaka, p.35 of no.10, Lewis, p.47. It has a body made of teak and frosted metal fittings. The bellows is made of maroon leather, and the parts which are black lacquered on the regular model are painted maroon on the Tropical Lily. The shape and features are otherwise similar to the 1930 model. The name TROPICAL Lily is written inside the folding bed, instead of the mere Lily of the regular model. The Tropical Lily was offered with the rim-set Compur shutter (T, B, 1–250) and a choice of three lenses: the Tessar f/4.5 by Carl Zeiss, the Heliar f/4.5 by Voigtländer and the Hexar f/4.5 by Rokuoh-sha itself. Tanaka, p.37 of no.10, and this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. The Hexar f/4.5 was among the first camera lenses made in Japan, and was first mounted on the Tropical Lily, in 11.5cm or 10.5cm focal length for 6.5×9cm size and in 13.5cm focal length for 8×10.5cm. First mounted on the Tropical Lily: Tanaka, p.37 of no.10, Lewis, p.183, and this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. The Tropical Lily was perhaps the first Japanese camera originally sold with a Japanese lens, the Nifca-Dox being another plausible candidate. A surviving example in 6.5×9cm size is pictured with the Hexar Ser.1 11.5cm f/4.5 in no.10, and another with the Hexar Ser.1 10.5cm f/4.5 in . Hexar Ser.1 11.5cm: example pictured on the cover page of no.10, and in Tanaka, on p.37 of the same magazine. The lens has no.2741. — Hexar Ser.1 10.5cm: example pictured in the first colour pages in , and as item 1125. The lens has no.3129. One example in 8×10.5cm size with the Hexar Ser.1 13.5cm f/4.5 is pictured both in Lewis and in no.10. Example pictured in Lewis, p.47, and in Tanaka, p.88 no.10. The lens has no.15329. Examples with the Tessar lens are known in 6.5×9cm size and in 8×10.5cm size. 6.5×9cm: example pictured in , p.545, and example pictured here and here at Ito Collection. 8×10.5cm: example pictured in Tanaka, p.37 of no.10. No example with Heliar lens has been observed so far. Gradual upgrade The regular Lily was gradually upgraded in 1933–4, together with the introduction of Japanese lenses and shutters. The definitive version is sometimes called "Year-Eight Lily" or "Year-Nine Lily" (this refers to Shōwa years 8 or 9, i.e. 1933 or 1934), , items 1127 and 1130, says 1933 and calls the camera "Lily (Showa 8)", for Shōwa year 8. (The other cameras called the same in this source actually correspond to other models of the Lily.) Tanaka, p.41 of no.10, says 1934 (Shōwa year 9), and is probably more accurate. but it is not known if such name was used at the time for advertising — as was the case for the "Year-Eight Idea". The first modifications were the addition of a pivoting lock for the focusing wheel, and of a depth-of-field plate on the left-hand side of the body. Transitional examples with the focus lock and the older viewfinder eyepiece have been observed in 6.5×9cm size. One has a Tessar 10.5cm f/4.5 lens in a rim-set Compur, and a depth-of-field table on the side marked Optor Anas't. 10.5 c.m and 焦点震度表 ("depth-of-field table"). Example observed in an online auction, lens no.682807. Another has a Toko-Anastigmat 10.5cm f/6.3 lens by Tōkyō Kōgaku and a Magna shutter by Seikōsha (this equipment is probably not original). Example observed in an unknown website, lens no.11446. The second change was the introduction of a larger eyepiece for the wireframe finder, consisting of a large rectangular plate directly folding over the leather covering. The definitive model was reportedly offered with the following combinations: Combinations reported in Tanaka, p.41 of no.10. * Hexar Ser.1 f/4.5 lens by Rokuoh-sha, rim-set Compur shutter, in 6.5×9cm or 8×10.5cm; This version is pictured in 6.5×9cm size in December 2008, p.30, and in 8×10.5cm size in , item 1130. * Hexar Ser.1 f/4.5 lens by Rokuoh-sha, Durax shutter, in 6.5×9cm; * Optor f/4.5 lens by Asahi Kōgaku, Durax shutter, in 6.5×9cm; This version is pictured in 6.5×9cm size in , item 1127 (with a depth-of-field plate), and in Tanaka, p.41 of no.10. * Trinar f/4.5 lens by Rodenstock, Ibsor shutter, in 8×10.5cm (this version is somewhat dubious). The example pictured in in 8×10.5cm size with a Heliar 13.5cm f/4.5 lens and a rim-set Compur shutter has a Voigtländer nameplate screwed to the top of the shutter plate, and its lens and shutter equipment is probably not original. Example pictured in , item 1132. A dismantled front standard certainly belonging to a Lily has been observed with a Simlar 10.5cm f/4.5 lens by Tōkyō Kōgaku and a rim-set Compur shutter (T, B, 1–250); it is not known if this equipment is original or not. Front standard observed in an online auction. New Lily The New Lily (新型リリー) is an upgraded model released in 1937. Date: Tanaka, p.41 of no.10, , item 1133. This page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website says 1936. The simple viewfinder eyepiece is replaced by an Albada finder, and a second focusing wheel is added to the photographer's left, opposite the other one. The New Lily only exists in 6.5×9cm size, and was reportedly offered in at least four lens and shutter combinations: Tanaka, p.42 of no.10. * Tessar f/4.5 lens by Carl Zeiss, Compur-Rapid shutter (T, B, 1–400); * Hexar f/4.5 lens by Rokuoh-sha, Compur-Rapid shutter (T, B, 1–400); This version is pictured in , item 1128, where it is wrongly called "Lily (Showa 8)". * Hexar f/4.5 lens by Rokuoh-sha, Durax shutter (T, B, 1–125) by the same; This version is pictured in , item 1133, and in Tanaka, p.89 of no.10. * Simlar f/4.5 lens by Tōkyō Kōgaku, Leo shutter (T, B, 1–250) by Seikōsha. This version has been observed in an online auction. Heliar and Optor f/4.5 lenses were perhaps also offered on the New Lily. Heliar and Optor: this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. The Heliar and Compur-Rapid combination is mentioned in , p.343. One example has been observed with a Hexar Ser.1 10.5cm f/4.5 lens and a Compur shutter (T, B, 1–250), Example pictured in Tanaka, p.42 of no.10. and another with a Trinar-Anastigmat f/4.5 lens by Rodenstock and a Durax shutter, Example observed in an online auction. but these combinations are not necessarily original. The Albada finder and some expensive lens/shutter combinations were shared with the Luxury Pearl released the same year 1937. It is said that Konishiroku bought Simlar lenses and Leo shutters after the Rokuoh-sha factory became increasingly involved into military contracts, and could not cope with the production of civilian lenses and shutters any more. This is said of the Simlar and Leo mounted on the Luxury Pearl in Tanaka, p.44 of no.10. This explanation might be valid for the optical division producing the Hexar lenses, but it is not satisfactory for the shutters: the factory managed to manufacture Durax, Rox and Apus shutters for a few more years along with a range of civilian cameras. It actually seems that Rokuoh-sha was lacking a suitable high-specification shutter to replace the Compur-Rapid after the stock of imported parts dried out, and had to turn to an external supplier. The New Lily was advertised in the June 1936 and April 1937 issues of . , p.343. The April 1937 advertisement says that the price of the camera started at ¥85 with an f/4.5 lens. Advertisement reproduced in , p.103. The advertisement in Photo Times February 1937 gives the price of for the version with Heliar f/4.5 and for that with Tessar f/4.5, certainly the most expensive one. Advertisement reproduced in , p.82. Military Lily The Military Lily was made to meet military needs. It only exists in 8×10.5cm size. It has the two focusing wheels of the New Lily, and the same viewfinder as the 1934 model. The Lily logo inside the folding bed is replaced by a military logo showing two red palms. The original canvas case is inscribed ROKUOH–SHA on the latch and has the same logo inside the cover. Case pictured in lot no.688 of Westlicht Photographica Auction no.10. The lens is a Hexar Ser.1 13.5cm f/4.5; all the numbers observed so far are in the 14xxx range. Example sold as lot no.688 of Westlicht Photographica Auction no.10 (no.14170); example pictured in Tanaka, p.42 of no.10 (no.14251); example pictured in , item 1131, wrongly called "Lily (Showa 8)" (no.14xxx); example pictured in , item 1134 (no.1444x); examples observed in online auctions (no.140xx and 14556). The shutter is a KTI-Tiyoko (T, B, 1–200), made by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (predecessor of Minolta). Made by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō: see for example , item 1134. The name KTI–TIYOKO is inscribed at the top of the shutter plate; "Tiyoko" is an alternative writing for "Chiyoko", abbreviation of Chiyoda Kōgaku. This is an early example of cooperation between the two companies, certainly imposed by the military, some 65 years before they merged. The cause was probably the lack of a suitable Rokuoh-sha shutter again. The Portable Camera Type 97 (九七式携帯写真機, 97-shiki keitai shashinki) is described by one source as a military version of the 6.5×9cm Lily for the Japanese Navy, first having a Tessar lens, later replaced by an Hexar. See this page of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website. The name "Type 97" implies that this camera was made from 1937, corresponding to Year 2597 in the Japanese mythological calendar. The mention of 6.5×9cm format might be a mistake, and this camera might correspond to the Military Lily described above. This is further suggested by the title of an article in May 2006: "Portable Camera Type 97 (Military Lily)". Interchangeable Lily The interchangeable Lily is only known from one picture in Baird. Baird, p.82. It has two focusing wheels, the same as the New Lily and Military Lily. The horizontal movement ability has been suppressed for some reason. The camera has no wireframe finder but a folding optical finder on the rear, covered by two flaps and similar to that of some versions of the Ernemann Klapp. Two bulges are visible under the leather covering, on the finder's side. The pictured example has a Hexar Ser.II f/3.8 lens in a Compur shutter; it is reported as having 10.5cm focal length but the marking might read 13.5cm instead, and the picture format is unknown. A small lever is visible behind the shutter, certainly releasing the bayonet mount to interchange the lens and shutter unit. A Tele-Hexar 30cm f/6.3 lens and Compur shutter is pictured next to the camera. This outfit was certainly made for military purpose. Two other examples of the Tele-Hexar 30cm f/6.3 lens have been observed in leaf shutters. One is mounted in a Compur; the other is in the same KTI-Tiyoko shutter as on the Military Lily and has a bayonet mount on the rear. Compur: example observed in an online auction. KTI-Tiyoko: example pictured in this page. This lens and shutter unit was probably made for the interchangeable Lily. Late mentions The official price list compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941 has a "Lily" for ¥130, with no further details. , type 8, section 4B. It is probable that the imported lenses and shutters were no more available at the time. The government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943 also has a "Lily" attributed to Konishiroku, with a Hexar 105/4.5 four-element lens and a Durax shutter reportedly giving T, B, 1–150 speeds. , item 201. The Durax normally has 1/125 top speed, and this unusual range is perhaps a mistake. Notes Bibliography * Item 314. (See also the advertisement for item 167.) * Pp.55–7 and 82. * Item 201. * Type 8, section 4B. * Pp.46–7, 54 and 183. * Pp.538 and 545. * Items 1123–34. (See also the colour pictures at the beginning.) * Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Hekisā F4.5 no tanjō" (ヘキサーF4.5の誕生, The birth of the Hexar f/4.5). Pp.88–9. * Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Konica history 4. Taishō 12-nen – Shōwa 8-nen." (Konica history 4. 大正12年–昭和8年. From Taishō year 12 (1923) to Shōwa year 8 (1933).) Pp.33–8. (See also the cover page of the magazine.) * Tanaka Masao (田中政雄). "Konica history 5. Shōwa 8-nen – 20-nen." (Konica history 5. 昭和8年–20年. From Shōwa year 8 (1933) to Shōwa year 20 (1945).) Pp.40–4. * Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (181) Torimā renzu" (レンズの話181トリマー・レンズ, Lens story 181 Trimar lens). In no.271 (January 2000). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.21–3. Links In English: * Lily (1934) in a page of large format cameras of Ross Alford's classic camera site * Military Lily, lot no.688 of auction no.10 (18 November 2006) by Westlicht Photographica Auction In Japanese: * Lily (1930 model) at ksmt.com * New Lily in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology * Tropical Lily, also in a page of tropical cameras, at the Ito Collection (the picture of the first page is distorted) * Pages of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website: ** Lily cameras, with a picture of a Tropical Lily ** Hexar lenses ** Tropical Lily, Lily (1934) and New Lily in the Camera list Category: Japanese 6.5x9 folding Category: Japanese 8x10.5 folding Category: Konica Category: L